By stephanie meyer

I don’t own them. I don’t claim to. It’s just for fun.
 
 

"Dr. Grad?"

Diane looked up from her chart. "Ivy! What are you doing back so soon?"

"Could I talk to you some more?'

"Sure, do you want to grab something to eat?"

"Ok."

Ivy was silent during their meal.

"Ivy, what's wrong?"

"I can't tell my parents, Dr. Grad."

"Why not?"

"They didn't know that I...that I was...you know."

"They don't know you’re sexually active?"

Ivy shook her head. "If they find out, they'll kick me out! Then what am I
going to do?"

"They'll find out anyway when they get billed for your medication."

"But if they find out I have AIDS?"

"Ivy, they're your parents. They love you."

"But you don't know my parents."

"Here, Ivy. I’m going to give you my beeper number. I you need me for any
reason, I want you to page me."
Diane handed a hastily scribbled-on napkin to the girl.

"Really?"

"Really."

Diane was just nodding off in Billy's arms when her beeper went off. She
drowsily reached for the phone and
dialed the number. "Hello?" She paused. "Slow down, slow down. Where are
you?" She sat up. "Ok, stay
there. I’ll be right there."

She hung up the phone.

"Where you going?" Billy yawned.

"The bus station. I've got a fifteen year old patient about to fly and I
promised her I’d help her.

Ivy was huddled on a bench, sobbing when Diane found her.

"Ivy?" Diane’s voice showed her concern as she sank down on the bench next
to the girl. "Ivy, I'm here ok?"

The girl looked up. "Dr. Grad?"

Diane touched the girl’s cheek which sported a large bruise. "What
happened?"

"I told my parents."

"Where you going?"

"Don't know."

"Why don't you come with me. You can crash at my place for awhile. I'll call
your parents and talk to them and
see if we can work this thing out, ok?"

"OK"

"Ivy, Ivy, wake up."

Diane shook the teenager. "Come on you have to take your meds."

"I'm up."

Diane watched the girl swallow the pills. "I think you should go to school
today."

"Yeah I have a test."

"I want you to have me paged if you get sick from the meds. Also, if your
parents come to get you, page me. I
don't want them hitting you again.

"There gonna be ticked you're doing all this for me."

"They should just be glad I'm not calling the child protection services on
them. I’m going to make sure you’re
ok, Ivy."

"Thanks, Dr. Grad." Ivy hugged her.

Diane awkwardly hugged the girl back "Why don't you go take a shower. Billy
already left for work, so I'll drop
you by school on the way to the hospital."

Billy ran into Diane at the nurses’ station. "So, where's Ivy?"

"At school. I told her to page me if she needs me for anything."

"You are going maternal on her."

"What? NO! She just needed somebody, Billy. I'm just doing my job."

"You are so mothering her."

"I am not!"

"Whatever. Mom." Billy beat a quick retreat.

"Billy!" Diane was interrupted by her beeper. She quickly dialed the number.
"Yes, this is Diane Grad. I was
paged from this number? Yes, I see. I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't
let her leave." She hung up the phone
and spotted Wilkes.

"Keith! I have to go check on a patient. I'll be back soon."

Diane entered the high school office and spoke to the secretary. "I'm Diane
Grad. I’m her about Ivy..."

She was interrupted by an irate woman. "Dr. Grad! Just who the hell do you
think you are?"

"Excuse me?"

"What goes on between my daughter, my husband, and I is none of your
business."

"When it compromises the safety of my patient, then it is my business!"

"She is my daughter! I won't have you steal her away from me!"

"So how about the child protection services! I'm sure they'd love to take a
look at Ivy's face or to here how
she's suddenly homeless!"

"How dare you! " The woman lashed out and smacked Diane across the face.

"Mom," Ivy stood in the doorway. "Don't! Dr. Grad is helping me!" Ivy
grasped Diane's arm. "I'm sorry, Dr.
Grad. The school called her."

"What's wrong?"

"I think the dosage is off. I’m sick to my stomach and I’m shaking."

Diane felt her forehead. "All right. I think you’re running a fever. Let’s
get that taken care of then we'll work on
your dosage." Diane guided the girl toward the door.

"Dr. Grad, you can't just take her away!"

"Until you are ready to help her, I can."

It was late when Billy found Diane filling out charts. "How'd it go with
Ivy?"

"After she got sick at school, I brought her in. Her parents came and took
her home. It's going to be tough, but
I think they realized how much she needs them."

"You knew you couldn't keep her."

"I know. I just felt..."

"What?"

"Motherly."